PHILIPSBURG--The credentials of two incoming Members of Parliament (MPs) were examined and approved on Tuesday afternoon by a sitting of eight current MPs in an urgent plenary session of the legislature.
This sitting was the third attempt to vet the documents of incoming MPs Tamara Leonard (United Democrats) and Claude Peterson (St. Maarten Christian Party). Leonard has served as an MP before; this is Peterson's first tenure. The two MPs will fill the seats made vacant by now Ministers Emil Lee and Wycliffe Smith who, based on the Constitution, cannot hold the posts of ministers and MPs.
The first two attempts on June 29 to vet the credentials were aborted due to no quorum. Only six MPs were present, when at least seven are needed for a majority representing the now 13-member Parliament. Only six MPs from the United Democrats were present for the two meetings. Another six MPs - five from the National Alliance and one from the United St. Maarten Party (US Party) - were absent with notice. There was no notice from the 13th MP.
Parliament Chairman Sarah Wescot-Williams said at the start of Tuesday's meeting it was urgent to hold the meeting now to ensure that after the recess Parliament resumes work at its full capacity of 15 members.
MP Silveria Jacobs (National Alliance), addressing the no quorum of last week, said she had no issue with the incoming MPs, but queried the timing of the meeting after the Secretariat of Parliament had received notices of absence from at least five MPs the day prior.
Jacobs said she was absent at the first meeting due to medical reasons. However, she did return just before lunch to find a convocation for a noon meeting sent at 11:11am to MPs.
As for wanting to disrupt the functioning of government, she said she has "no such inclination."
Fellow NA parliamentarian Ardwell Irion said the meeting was last minute and reflected "poor planning" on the part of the United Democrats/SMCP coalition.
MP Theo Heyliger (United Democrats) said the meeting was about democracy and new MPs should not have to wait more than a month to take up the seats awarded to them via the electoral process.
